Engage in sauna use 4-7 times a week for 20 minutes at a minimum of 174°F as a personal practice for longevity and overall health.
Use a sauna 4-7 times a week to significantly reduce the risk of developing pneumonia by 41%, or 3 times a week for a 27% reduction.
Engage in sauna use 1-2 times a week to reduce the incidence of common colds, noting that effects may take about three months to manifest.
Engage in frequent sauna use to decrease pulmonary congestion and improve various lung functions, including vital capacity and tidal volume.
Consider using a humid sauna (e.g., by throwing water over hot rocks to create steam) as low humidity negatively impacts the immune system’s ability to fight respiratory viruses.
Utilize hot baths to increase heat shock proteins, which play a major role in boosting the innate immune system and increasing immune cells.
For a significant increase in heat shock proteins, sit in a hot bath from the waist down for an hour (at ‘a hundred and something degrees Fahrenheit’), or likely cut the time in half or more by submerging from the shoulders down.
Use the sauna regularly (e.g., five days a week) as it mimics aerobic exercise, elevating core body temperature, increasing blood flow, and raising heart rate, which is beneficial for overall health and mental well-being.
Take hot baths to achieve similar physiological responses to aerobic exercise, such as increased blood flow and heart rate, which can contribute to improved heart rate variability and lower blood pressure.
If using a lower temperature sauna (e.g., 140°F infrared sauna), increase the duration to about 45 minutes to achieve similar cardiovascular benefits as a hotter sauna (170-174°F for 20 minutes).
When taking hot baths, you may need to refill or reheat the water every 10-15 minutes to maintain the desired temperature and effective heat stress.
If saunas or hot baths are unavailable, utilize any safe heat stress modality accessible at home, such as steam showers, to obtain beneficial heat stress.
Avoid using shared saunas, gyms, or any closed public places with other people to minimize exposure and risk during a pandemic.
Prioritize staying home as much as possible and wear any type of mask if you must go out, ideally avoiding stores completely, to reduce encounters and risk during a pandemic.